From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.9 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Thread: 103376,cbdf4b7efd0b03b5 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public,usenet X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit Path: g2news1.google.com!news1.google.com!newshub.sdsu.edu!newscon04.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.net!newsdst01.news.prodigy.net!prodigy.com!postmaster.news.prodigy.com!newssvr19.news.prodigy.net.POSTED!4988f22a!not-for-mail From: Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada References: <47d7de50$0$89175$157c6196@dreader1.cybercity.dk><6401244f-3062-4f4a-8f19-4e71b6b1ff11@n75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com><47d7f5ce$0$99023$157c6196@dreader2.cybercity.dk><87tzjb8nfa.fsf@ludovic-brenta.org> <47da6400$0$1774$4d3efbfe@news.sover.net> Subject: Re: Textbooks X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3198 X-RFC2646: Format=Flowed; Original Message-ID: NNTP-Posting-Host: 70.134.78.194 X-Complaints-To: abuse@prodigy.net X-Trace: newssvr19.news.prodigy.net 1205697201 ST000 70.134.78.194 (Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:53:21 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 15:53:21 EDT Organization: AT&T http://yahoo.sbc.com X-UserInfo1: T[OQB\CEBZUWSSD[N[O@_WH@YR_B@EXLLBWLOOAFWIWTEPIB_NVUAH_[BL[\IRKIANGGJBFNJF_DOLSCENSY^U@FRFUEXR@KFXYDBPWBCDQJA@X_DCBHXR[C@\EOKCJLED_SZ@RMWYXYWE_P@\\GOIW^@SYFFSWHFIXMADO@^[ADPRPETLBJ]RDGENSKQQZN Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 12:51:26 -0700 Xref: g2news1.google.com comp.lang.ada:20439 Date: 2008-03-16T12:51:26-07:00 List-Id: "Jacob Sparre Andersen" wrote in message news:ygeve3n3yq4.fsf@hugsarin.dmusyd.edu... > Richard Riehle wrote: > >> Ada Distilled includes a complete set of fully-coded programs that >> work. When you use that book, be sure to also download the separate >> file that includes the programs. Then, you can present those >> programs in any order you wish. > > I have tried to use Ada Distilled in a course, but it didn't work out > as well as I had hoped. Mostly because I wasn't teaching experienced > programmers. For inexperienced students, it isn't quite right. > Right. Ada Distilled is not intended for inexperienced programmers. It is directed to those who have quite a bit of experience in solving programming problems, and who will understand the kinds of problems the programs are intended to illustrate. Also, it is light on theory. I have tried to annotate each programming example, including some annotations from the ALRM. I also included an annotated version of Text_IO and some other packages from Annex A. Unlike some Ada programming books, every source code example is a complete program -- compilable and executable. A complaint I once had from some of my students was that some textbooks show a fragment of code and follow with the equivalent of, "The solution is left as an exercise for the student." I tried to avoid that kind of thing. I have received email from people all over the world, including Iran and some other places where we are not on good terms. I even had an invitation to teach Ada in Iran using Ada Distilled, an invitation I politely declined. Instead, I referred them to a friend in the French Ada community who I know to be an excellent instructor. I never received word on whether that training took place, and I don't need to know. He did not know I recommended him. Meanwhile, I have made a little bit of progress with the new version. I added examples with distinguished receiver notation and a few smaller items. I'll try to get it revised suficiently for posting to the AdaIC web site this year. Many thanks to all of those who have been so generous in their comments, advice and suggestions. You are always welcome to send other suggestions to me that might improve the overall benefit of the book. Richard Riehle